Smugglers have used tunnels to transport weapons as well as civilian goods, like food, into Gaza from Egypt. Hundreds of Palestinians gathered Thursday to try to repair the tunnels damaged by Israeli strikes.

In another development, Israeli media say the government is preparing to be more flexible in negotiations with Hamas on a prisoner exchange.

Israel is trying to secure the release of an Israeli soldier held in Gaza, while Hamas wants Israel to free more than 1,000 Palestinian detainees, many of them militants.